3 years agoCincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III is expected to receive the franchise tag for the 2022 season, with the hope that the two sides can ultimately work out a long-term contract extension, per Tyler Dragon of USA Today. Bates is coming off another solid season in the Bengals' secondary where he compiled 88 tackles, four passes defended, one interception, and one fumble recovery across 15 games. Cincinnati's defense largely ranked near the middle of the pack last season, but was particularly stout against the run, yielding the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game (102.5). Getting Bates back in any contractual capacity will be an important step in the Bengals' pursuit to win the AFC for a second straight campaign.--Jesse Borek
Source: Tyler Dragon